Heading: (Bible in Ge'ez)
Author:
Title: Illuminated Ge'ez manuscript Bible
Place Published: [Ethiopia or Eritrea]
Publisher:
Date Published: [20th century]
Description:

Illustrated with 11 hand-colored illuminations, including four styled as frontispieces, these with protective cloth stitched to top of illuminated leaves and hanging over illuminations. 158 unpaginated vellum folios, handwritten in traditional two-column black and red script. 22.5x16.5 cm (9x6½"), blindstamped red leather stretched over boards, entirely covered by hand-stitched patterned cloth. Tucked into goatskin slipcase which fits in turn into custom goatskin carrying case with shoulder strap.

Illuminated manuscripts in the Ge'ez language are part of the long monastic traditions of Ethiopia and Eritrea, where Ge'ez is still taught and read as a liturgical language, and play an important role in the history of African manuscript production. Ge'ez manuscripts are unique in Western Christianity for continuing the illuminated manuscript tradition unbroken through the 20th century; one illumination in this volume, in which figures are armed with rifles rather than more traditional biblical weaponry, epitomizes this mixing of the modern into a medieval practice. Further illuminations include the Passion, the Mother Mary, St George slaying the dragon, and the miracle of Lazarus.

Goatskin case somewhat rubbed and abraded; cloth covering rubbed along edges and splitting along spine, slightly toned; some headers and illuminations gently rubbed, occasional corrections to text in ballpoint pen, expected irregularities associated with vellum (ie small holes, one closed tear stitched shut), very good.